Sao Rafael Holidays

Portugal’s finest beach is within touching distance when you go on holidays to Sao Rafael. And laid-back village streets dishing up old-school Portuguese cuisine will really get you relaxed.

Pretty Algarve

Sao Rafael is a tiny seaside village of villas and apartments built in the traditional Algarve style – think whitewashed walls and terracotta roof tiles. You’ll find it on Portugal’s south coast, just outside Albufeira. There’s a clutch of beachfront bars and restaurants, plus a supermarket. Other than that, it’s tranquility personified, so you’ll quickly forget you have a care in the world.

Magnificent sands

Even by the Algarve’s high standards, Sao Rafael’s beach is something special. Backed by tall limestone cliffs, it’s a Blue Flag-winning stretch of golden sand that wears the crown as Portugal’s number-one beach. Its natural good looks are its main appeal, but its high-class restaurant, handful of watersports, and great snorkelling deserve a special mention, too. Plus, you’ll find several secluded coves immediately west of here, such as Praia da Coelha and Praia do Castelo.

Easy-going pace

Sao Rafael’s laid-back village streets blend into those of its next-door neighbour, Galé. They’re home to a wide range of restaurants serving up old-school Portuguese cuisine, and are all within walking distance of each other. If you want to stretch your legs even more, you’ll find tennis courts and world-class golf courses nearby. Or take a long stroll along the clifftops.

Close to Albufeira

A 10-minute taxi ride from Sao Rafael is the city of Albufeira. Its old town is a myriad of winding Moorish streets dotted with churches and romantic cobbled squares. And on the east side of the city is a tourist strip of back-to-back pubs and nightclubs that stay open until the early hours. At its sparkling new marina, meanwhile, you can cherry-pick from the bars that look out over the white yachts, or pop into the little shops on the main road behind it.

WHEN TO GO

The Algarve boasts long sunny days and temperatures of around 30°C in summer. In spring and autumn, the thermometer lingers in the mid-20s, and even in winter you can expect highs that hit a comfortable 20°C. Head over to the neighbouring island of Porto Santo, and you’re looking at temperatures which sway from the high teens in winter to the mid-20s during the summer months. Madeira, meanwhile, sees a fair bit of rain in winter, which keeps the island’s famous gardens well watered.

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